Another bit of feedback about CISSP....

From another former student, just received yesterday:

“ I passed the CISSP earlier this evening, with much thanks owed to you! At 150 questions.

I didn’t interact much in class but paid a ton of attention and also rewatched the recordings over again. And also bought and read your book, along with Boson and the mike chappel practice tests. I felt that the class paired with the student guide prepared me the best, and the boson was a decent approximation for the questions but also not so much... I read your book in the two days before the exam and it helped solidify my mindset as well. 

As for the test, there were some bizarrely worded questions there for sure. I assume the test is slightly different for everyone, but for me there were MAYBE 10 questions that I would deem ‘technical’, and I may very well have got them all wrong, yet here I am on the other side! I am more of a big picture person in my role at work and I think that helped.”

Awesome news! Thanks so much for the feedback— great stuff, and congrats.

Some feedback from a recent CISSP test-taker (who passed)

One of my recent students shared this with me, and gave me permission to post it:

“I’m not sure if you remember but I am the student that just graduated college with a Cyber Security degree and won the CISSP class in a raffle. I was lucky enough to be trained by you on scholarship and capitalized on it and now I am an Associate of Isc2.

            In terms of the exam, the main thing I studied was the notes from your class. I memorized each and every foot stomper. You covered everything I saw on the exam but some of the questions were extremely detailed in things we barely brushed over. I also read the entire study guide by doing 30 pages a day. I didn’t use the Sunflower guide because I felt as if it went into too much unnecessary detail in some parts. I also bought the Boson practice tests but I didn’t use them at all.

            The main thing that helped me besides your class was this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-99b1YUFx0A. It just helped to enforce the idea that the CISSP exam is managerial and about half of the questions I saw I referred back to this video. Instead of solving the problem instantly I thought of what a manager would do. To put your future students at ease, you can tell them I have no working experience and all I did was read the study guide, took your class and watched that one youtube video and I passed. Once again, thank you for all the help with everything. Your class has left a lasting impact on me and I will always be grateful.”

 I am impressed by the accomplishments of this young person; very well done, and thanks for sharing insight into your experience! I expect big things from you in our industry. I hope you will hire me to work for you someday!

TSSOI - Episode 22 - Small Business Security - Part 1

In this episode, we discuss the initial steps a small/medium-sized business might take to institute an INFOSEC program. Topics include: identifying assets, determining risks, and conducting a Buiness Impact Analysis.

TSSOI - Episode 21 - Review - We Steal Secrets, Part 2

TSSOI - Episode 20 - Review - We Steal Secrets

TSSOI - Episode 19 - Richard Jewell

TSSOI - Episode 18 - Skynet is Racist

The text of the proposed bill: https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/S.4051%20Lawful%20Access%20to%20Encrypted%20Data%20Act.pdf

The Russians give up blocking Telegram: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-telegram-ban-idUSKBN23P2FT

Skynet is racist: https://reason.com/2020/06/25/wrongful-arrest-in-detroit-demonstrates-why-police-use-of-facial-surveillance-technology-must-be-banned/

TSSOI - Episode 17 - The Streisand Effect

This week, we revisit a piece of Internet history, and discuss a famous case as a way of finishing up our discussion of intellectual property.

For more information about the case, straight from the victim’s mouth, check out: https://www.californiacoastline.org/streisand/lawsuit.html.

Recent CISSP Feedback

Pearson VUE test centers have reopened, and candidates for ISC2 certs have now been able to schedule their exams. I’ve been getting sporadic feedback from test-takers; here’s one recent message:

“I took and passed the exam on Saturday. 118 questions in 1:15.

I actually thought it was a little annoying.  A lot of awkwardly worded questions.

It was very little direct technical questions (no TCP ports).  Focused on policy and judgement.  Think  before you act.  You have to have a core of IT knowledge, but the bulk was thinking strategically and not tactically.  I think your course focused on that way more than the other materials.  The cccure tests are pretty good.  The McGraw-Hill material was outdated and a big distractor.  And just knowing that 25 questions don't count, and you have a 25% chance of guessing let me just keep going forward after picking an answer on the weirder questions.”

Good to hear, and great words of caution for those gearing up for the exam. Good luck, everyone!

TSSOI - Episode 16 - IP Part 3 -- IP Boogaloo

TSSOI - Episode 15 - IP Part 2-- The IP Strikes Back

TSSOI - Episode 14 - IP (but not the one you're thinking of)

The Sensuous Sounds Of INFOSEC - Episode 13 - Ryan Skelton

This week we talk with INFOSEC professional Ryan Skelton about information security training and awareness programs, tools used in live environments, and how Robin sounds like an NPR interviewer.

The tool mentioned by Ryan during the episode: https://www.knowbe4.com/

The Saturday Night Live sketch Ryan references (and yes, Robin does sound like that!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoysmfRxPLc

Podcast Episode 12 - Duplicity

Podcast Episode 11 - What are the Internet?

Podcast Episode 10: Breach

CCSK Prep

I’ll be hosting my first CCSK Fundamentals class online on 16 MAY 2020. It’s a realtime (non-recorded) one-day class, from 0800-1730 Central Standard Time (CST US). Because this will be my initial CCSK delivery, I’m offering a discounted fee of $1075 per person, which includes a token to take the exam.

For more information, please check the registration site:

You can use this link to register.

Podcast Episode 9: We Read It

A Random Thought When Dealing With Aritificial Intelligence...

[spoilers for a movie older than most of the users on Internet— “2001: A Space Odyssey”]

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What if HAL thinks he’s still “dreaming,” and kills the astronauts because he thinks he’s dealing in dream logic, and never would have made those same choices while “awake”?

Podcast Episode 8: Magic Mike

This week, we have our second guest— Mike Allen, INFOSEC guru of outstanding nature! We talk about securing the home office/network, and how tricky that is.